Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-08-21

1
ley" Descending along tortuous
trail in the form of a winding stair
case. we soon cross the path of the
crock avalanche" that recently tore
up trees, breaking them into
fragments and creating the Wild
est imaginable scene of de-
struction. AS we reach Pohono
bridge at the foot of the trail, the
beautiful Bridal Fall appears in full
glory, sitting its waters over preci-
pice nearly one thousand feet above
the valley. In falling it breaks into a
shower OF mist that is so DETECTED by
currents OF air as to present the APP
pearance Of a white silken veil tossed
in the wind. On the opposite side OF
the valley, the Ribbon or Virgin Tears
Fall plunges, in slender stream, over
the head of Ell Captain and breaks
| into a mist that, to all appearances,
loses itself in the air before it has
completed third of its journey. The
upper part of this miniature fall being
obscured by the nebIlous halo resting
on Ell Captain, the novel spectacle is
presented of delicate cascade falling
| ullCttly hOiu thC NlouNhos
THE FAR-FAMED THREE BROTHERS.
| The massive monoliths called the
Three Brothers now rise up before us
the highest 600 feet above Ell Capi-
tan. Now Cathedral Rock and its
two graceful spires loom into view,
reaching heights before which Trinity
and st. Patrick's would appear like
pigmies in the presence OF Hercules.
Anon "The Sentinel" appears--a CO.
lossal granite obelisk perched upon an
eminence 2O00 feet above the valley,
and rising above this fifteen times the
height of Cleopatra needle. Wonder
follows upon wonder, and all at once
the Yosemite falls breaks into full
view, facing the giant Sentinel and
pouring its restless, roaring waters
over a precipice half mile above our
heads, or more than sixteen times the
height of Niagara. The highest portion
OF its white feathery column is soon
enveloped in a cumbrous cloud OF
mist, and again we have the marvellous
sight of cataract falling directly from
the heavens. Yosemite must be seen
to be known. There is no such thing
as giving an adequate description OF
these massive walls, these towering
columns, these flashing, clashing
waterfalls of untold beauty. The set
ting sun shining upon their rocky
heights; the spectral colors glancing
in their foaming waters; the mystic
clouds settling down at nightfall upon
their dizzy SUBMITS; drifting spray
rising from the earth, and cataracts fall
| ling from the sky; all combine to form
galaxy of glories which neither pen
nor pencil can hope to reproduce.
WHAT A DRIVE REVEALED.
After dinner we took twenty-mile
drive about the valley, including the
trip to the cascades, some eight miles
down the river. In this direction We
were confronted by numberless mas
sive rocks, weighing hundreds of tons,
and scattered prvmiscuously along the
banks of the river for several miles.
These were perched up in all manner
of perilous attitudes, many OF them
being piled one above another in tum-
ble-,lown positions here overhang-
ing the roadway snd there set
up on end some distance above
us, freighted with disaster.
We knew full well that others by thou
sands had made the tour OF this valley
unharmed and all reason seemed to
indicate that the chances of getting
through alive were in our favor. 1t
was, nevertheless, impossible to dis
pei the conviction that these noun
| 49,. i.oaanralxy y,niGnH
above us, would come tearing down
the declivities and put an end to our
recreations. Occasionally one of these
does actually loose its anchorage and
the devastating result is frightful.
While nothing could be more fear-in-
spring than this journey down the
river, few sights could be better
calculated to excite wonder than
the return trip. In the latter the at
tention is somewhat withdrawn from
these threatening boulders and di-
rected to the imposing wall OF masonry,
half mile high, that hens in the
valley on both sides, and over the rim
or summit of which numerous cascades
fall in picturesque beauty.
SIGHTS OF GRANDEUR.
1
Here the widest and most fairy
like scenes break upon the vision.
Yesterday afternoon in particular ma
ture seemed to have on her high
heeled shoes, and was in all respects
dressed as if for some special occasion.
The massive granite walls of the val
ley seemed larger and larger the
more minutely they were scanned,
and after we had advanced short
distance the very heavens fell in the
form of descending clouds, here resting
upon the rocky walls OF the valley
and in places falling far below the
valley itself.
! Trees and mountain peaks 5000 feet
above us, appeared through riffs in
the clouds, as if standing isolated and
alone in the clear sky. Scores Of del
icate cascades were, for all our senses
could discover, falling directly from
heaven, and everywhere the goddess
of enchantment held undisputed
sway. This morning we ordered our
rig at an early hour and proceeded to
explore the valley in the opposite di-
rection, or up the river. Some two
miles above the hotels we found the
Merced divided into three branches,
which retreat in the form of rocky
cafions into the mysterious wilds of
| the Sierras.
| A PRECIPICE OF AWFUL HEIGHT.
After renewing our dropping ener-
gies at Shows Hotel, we proceeded to
the precipice overlooking Vernal
Falls. Here we find ourselves in one
of natures grandest temples-hemmed
in on all sides by an ampitheatre
which probably has no parallel on
the continent, if anywhere in the
world. A monstrous fiat stone, per-
haps an eighth of a mile long and
half as wide, forms spacious ros-
trum, over which the observer may
wander at pleasure. Another similar